Make Your Own Baby Food

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Before my son was born, I pictured myself visiting the farmers' market for gorgeous produce and then spending time in the kitchen pureeing the organic fruits and vegetables into baby-growing superfoods. But when I found myself juggling work and childcare and sometimes having to fight for time even to take a shower, making my own baby food was a non-starter. I bought organic jars/pouches whenever possible, but still never quite got over the guilt.

Now that I’ve watched friends make food for their own babies, I realize that I was wrong. It’s really not very difficult or time-consuming to make baby food at home, and I learned that there are many advantages:

It costs less.

You know exactly what you’re feeding your baby.

It may even help the baby learn to eat what your family eats and ease food battles during the picky toddler years.

Perhaps most importantly, I learned that it’s not an all-or-nothing proposition. You can make baby food at home when you’ve got the ingredients and the time.

If you have doubts, here’s some more info that might sway you:

You don’t need special equipment. Yes, you could buy a baby food mill, but you can also use your blender or food processor. (And some foods can even just be very well mashed by hand.)

You don’t have to follow complicated recipes.

As your baby grows and you get to know what foods he likes and what he tolerates, you can get creative by combining ingredients. But the basic premise remains simple.

Beth Weinhouse is an award-winning journalist who specializes in writing about parenting issues and women's health. She's been an editor at Ladies' Home Journal and Parenting magazines, and her work has appeared in dozens of consumer magazines and websites.

Beth Weinhouse

Our parenting advice is given as suggestions only. We recommend you also consult your healthcare provider, and urge you to contact them immediately if your question is urgent or about a medical condition.